Photo of the week Arts and antiques to the fore this month
Arts Society Dove Valley
OUR lecture in January by James Bolton gave us a fascinating insight to the collaboration of the Edwardian architect, Edwin Lutyens, and plantswoman and garden designer, Gertrude Jekyll.
This remarkable partnership began over a cup of tea and ultimately changed the attitude to a more contemporary approach to garden design from the formal Italian style favoured by the Victorians, alongside the influence of the Arts and Crafts Movement in architecture for great country houses.
In spite of becoming almost blind in later life, Jekyll could still create a garden from her home because she knew, “it was all in the planting”.
Our society provides monthly lectures by accredited speakers, on topics related to a variety of subjects related to the arts.
These are normally held in Ashbourne Town Hall on the second Wednesday of each month.
However, at the moment the lecturers will be bringing their specialised talks online.
Our lecture this afternoon will tackle the suggestion: “Antiques. I don’t understand them and they’re beyond my budget. They’re not for me.”
Mark Hill will give a “persuasive introduction to buying antiques and integrating and using them in today’s homes” with his lecture “Undressing Antiques”.
will look at the current state of the antiques market and examine what current and future collectors are buying and why.
Mark has worked at Bonham’s and is now a specialist in the Collections Department at Sotheby’s.
He is a freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars.
Mark has lectured across the world and you may have seen him on the Antiques Road Show.
If you are interested in accessing this and other lectures on our programme, please contact Andrew Bownes, andrew@bownes.uk.net for joining instructions. There will be no cost involved and no obligation to join the society.
More information on the above and the society can be found on our website: artssocietydovevalley.weebly.com tre of Halifax on Friday and Saturday evenings. Mr Blakey described very clearly the scenes of drunkenness, disorder, acute ill-health and psychological distress that ensued.
He, as a committed Christian, and some friends, decided that they were morally obliged to try to do something effective about this.
He approached the local police and put out a call for volunteers and slightly to his surprise the venture was a success from the word go.
The Street Angels, as they became known, found that offering simple practical support and a sympathetic ear was enough to improve many distressed revellers’ state of health and state of mind.
The organisation rapidly expanded to other British towns and cities and there are now also branches abroad, in Australia and the United States, for instance.
The Angels have also diversified into other venues so there are now groups of Festival Angels and Club Angels also.
All in all the audience was very impressed by Mr Blakey’s achievements and his determination and he clearly very well deserved the honour that he received from the Queen several years ago.
LAST week was Children’s Mental Health week. This year’s theme was ‘Express Yourself’ and was focused on getting children and adults to find creative ways to share their thoughts, feelings, and emotions through activities like music, art, dance, or photography.
There is no denying that it is an incredibly difficult time for us all at the moment, but I really do worry for the mental health of our younger people.
The idea of a pandemic can be confusing enough for adults, let alone children and they are finding themselves in most cases away from school and their friends and having to navigate and learn in an entirely different environment. I am in constant talks with colleagues and Ministers to find ways to help our young people at this time.
I am so thankful that we find ourselves at a time technologically where we can meet one another virtually and that children can see their teachers, friends, and families, albeit in this different way.
I am incredibly inspired by the way teachers in Derbyshire Dales are continuing to inspire and educate children from a distance and how parents and guardians have risen to the challenge of supporting this.
As a mother, I know parenting can be hard enough without a global pandemic and all the challenges that brings.
Virtual platforms are incredible examples of technology and have been so useful during the pandemic, but I know for many, virtual interactions just aren’t the same as being with someone face to face.
Despite the ability to see each other virtually, our young people, our older generations and ourselves will likely be feeling a bit lonely at this time. I firmly believe humans are designed to be in a community and to share experiences, but our duty now is to do everything in our power to make sure that when we can be together again, there isn’t a loved one missing.
That means we must all follow the rules to keep each other safe and protect the NHS.
It is interesting that whilst we are all distanced physically, there have been some amazing examples of togetherness during this past year; the vaccination programme, neighbours delivering food parcels, communities making medical gowns, socially distanced VE Day celebrations, children dressing up their teddy bears on the front lawn to raise the spirits of their neighbours (special mention to Ashbourne’s own Chocolate
T Bear) and nationwide clapping for the NHS, being just a few examples.
On Wednesday, February 3, we stood at our front doors and once again the streets were filled with the sound of clapping, this time in honour of the life of Sir Captain Tom Moore.
Captain Sir Tom Moore was a true hero, who not only fought for our country in the Second World War, but during one of the hardest times in our history, he united us, inspired us and cheered us all up and it was an honour to clap for him and remember his service to our country.
There has been so much loss during this pandemic. There is no getting around the fact that this is one of the hardest challenges this country has faced.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has lost someone.
If you have lost a loved one, this difficult time will be even harder for you, but please know there are people to support you. The vaccination programme in Derbyshire Dales really does give hope and we are all desperate for normalcy, but we aren’t there yet.
Together we will get through this challenge and I thank each and every one of you who are following the rules and protecting each other.
Please continue to support one another and in the theme of ‘express yourself,’ please do share your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Young or old, there is nothing to be ashamed of if you are struggling with your mental health, but please do find the courage to talk.